Substitute Kanu's faint touch from a Nadir Belhadj corner gave Portsmouth a vital home win over Bolton.
Minutes after replacing David Nugent, Kanu stole in between Jlloyd Samuel and goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen to steer the ball into the net.
Portsmouth manager Paul Hart: "I didn't really see what happened for the goal but we'll take it. I'm told Kanu has claimed it but it doesn't matter to me who scores as long as it is us and I thought we deserved it today.
"Bolton have a way of playing that makes them difficult to play against but I think you have to give our players credit even though we didn't dominate in the second half as much as in the first half."
Bolton boss Gary Megson: "We were poor and Pompey were not that much better than us. We've got to show a big improvement on this even though three of our last five matches are at home. We are certainly not thinking we are safe yet.
The defending for the corner was very bad, letting it go straight in like that from Belhadj's corner. Did Kanu claim it? Well, he would. I should know, having had him at West Bromwich Albion!"
Portsmouth: James, Kaboul (Pennant 90), Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson, Johnson, Davis, Mullins, Nugent (Kanu 71), Kranjcar (Belhadj 77), Crouch.
Subs Not Used: Begovic, Pamarot, Utaka, Hughes.
Booked: Kranjcar, Distin.
Goals: Kanu 78.
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Andrew O'Brien, Cahill, Samuel, Basham, McCann, Gardner (Muamba 12), Kevin Davies, Elmander, Taylor.
Subs Not Used: Al Habsi, Hunt, Smolarek, Puygrenier, Makukula, Cohen.
Booked: Kevin Davies, Andrew O'Brien, Hunt, McCann.
Att: 20,158
Ref: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).www.bbc.co.uk
Wolverhampton W. 1 - 0 Queens Park R.
1 - 0 S. Ebanks-Blake 46.min
Arsenal 1 - 2 Chelsea
1 - 0 T. Walcott 18.min
1-1 F. Malouda 33.min
1 - 2 D. Drogba 84.min
Man. Utd. 0 - 0 Everton
penalty shoot-out : 2 - 4
